Healing 4 Heroes Assists Veterans with Service Dogs

Healing 4 Heroes is a nonprofit group based in Peachtree City whose mission is to train and place psychiatric service dogs to veterans with PTSD.  What makes this group so special is they train shelter dogs to become companions to the vets.  The dogs are trained to assist the veterans with up to seven tasks.  This year alone, Wounded Warrior has referred 12 veterans for a service dog and there are currently 8 veterans waiting for their "battle buddy".

Seeing the veterans with their "battle buddy" in action is awe inspiring.  These once unwanted dogs are now the best friends of our veterans in need.  Veterans return home in body, but sometimes, the effects of war remain with them.  Whether it is a loud noise, or loss of hearing from their service, the veterans can have difficulty in returning to life as they knew it before their service to our country.

At a recent fundraiser for Healing 4 Heroes, we ran across the combination of veterans helping other veterans, volunteers helping with dog adoptions and the spirit of America. 

Mike Quinn, a local Newnan Vietnam Vet who was at the fundraiser, urges others to get involved with Healing 4 Heroes as the veterans with PTSD need our help and support.

Shanon Clay of Williamson, GA, commented she is proud to support Healing 4 Heroes in their mission to help wounded veterans through training and supplying of service dogs for all their individual needs.  In addition, she encourages others to support our troops, support their families as our heroes are important to us.

 What can we say?  Saving two lives just touches our heart.

To learn more how you can help, follow Healing 4 Heroes on Facebook or send an email to healing4heroes@aol.com .  Or better yet, pick up the phone.  Call 678-364-9993 and ask Piper how you can become involved.

America's Solution for a More Cost-Effective Defense: Leverage the National Guard

/PRNewswire/ -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has a ready solution at his disposal as he looks for ways to cut excessive overhead, bloat and needless spending in the Defense Department.

The solution is the nation's most cost-effective defense organization, one that provides nearly half of the Army's combat power and a third of the Air Force's combat capability for about 7 percent of the defense budget.

It's the National Guard, which National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) officials today said does more with fewer resources than any other component in the U.S. military and which can do even more with only a modest increase in funding.

"It's time for the nation to start talking about cutting the active-duty military and growing the National Guard," said retired Maj. Gen. Gus Hargett, the NGAUS president. "Relying more on the Guard may be the only way America can reduce defense spending without cutting American military power."

In a speech over the weekend in Abilene, Kan., Gates said he wants the Pentagon to take a hard, realistic look at what defense capabilities America really needs in the 21st century.

Hargett said NGAUS welcomes the effort, but added that the discussion and debate should not be confined to Defense Department officials, who are often too wedded to active-component institutions to see defense solutions from other sources.

Congress, the nation's governors and the American public all need to be heard, he said.

"Today's economic and fiscal realities call for all of us to put America's future defense ahead of America's current defense institutions," he said.

"Unfortunately, the Army and the Air Force are already considering plans to cut the Guard at the end of today's conflicts," the NGAUS president said. "With a largely part-time force and barebones infrastructure, our overhead is much less. We simply can do the same job cheaper. But, too often, that does not matter to some decision-makers. Perhaps it will now.

"Our goal should be nothing less than maintaining the required military power to defend our nation, taking care of our troops, and saving money," Hargett said. "We can do all three, but only if we consider every possible solution."

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Military Leaders Press Obama to Act On Defense Contract

/PRNewswire/ -- Twelve members of the National Defense Trust (NDT) today sent a letter to President Barack Obama expressing concern over the ongoing delays and political maneuvering preventing the Air Force from awarding the contract to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers. The letter was signed by retired military officers, leaders of think tanks focusing on national defense, and a former US Senator. A copy of the letter was sent to every Member of Congress.

The current fleet of refueling tankers is five decades old and have been in service since the Korean War. Efforts to build new planes that support military aircraft has been ongoing for nearly a decade and the contracts have been canceled due to controversy and scandal.

The latest Request for Proposal was released several months ago with one of the bidders, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), withdrawing from the competition. However, after pressure from EADS and the government of France, the Pentagon extended the deadline for two months.

The National Defense Trust's members believe it is critical that the delays, particularly those that are politically motivated, cease, allowing the military to focus on procuring the planes needed for a strong national defense. As a result of the most recent delay in the process, NDT members have sent this letter to Commander in Chief Obama and Members of Congress. The letter reads in part:

Delays often beget delays. Our war fighters deserve new tankers delivered as quickly as possible, and we see no valid reason to postpone the tanker acquisition process any longer. We urge you to resist further efforts to stall the long-overdue process of procuring and building the next fleet of refueling tankers our men and women in uniform need and deserve.

The National Defense Trust is a coalition of Americans dedicated to a robust defense of the United States and our allies.

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The American Legion Sees Missed Opportunities in VA Outreach to Entrepreneurs

/PRNewswire/ -- The American Legion characterized VA's Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) as "critically ineffective, understaffed, underfunded and marginalized" in March 11 testimony before the House Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Created to help veterans start their own businesses and bid successfully on federal contracts, CVE - according to The American Legion's National Small Business Task Force - lacks the ability to provide comprehensive technical assistance, takes too long to register clients (one month to one year), and does not offer help to veterans with part-time businesses.

"CVE only operates one office in Washington, D.C., and does not cover the needs of all the veteran-owned small businesses around the country," said small-business expert Joseph Sharpe in his prepared remarks to the subcommittee. He said that CVE's Vetbiz.gov Web site "is not easily navigated" and needs to become more user-friendly.

Sharpe, director of The American Legion's Economic Division in Washington, told the subcommittee that businesses with fewer than 20 employees account for 90 percent of all U.S. firms. He said small businesses generated nearly $1 trillion of income for 2006 and employed 58.6 million workers.

"The American Legion contends that the key to the nation's economic recovery depends on a strong and vibrant small-business agenda," Sharpe told the subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D. Citing Dept. of Labor statistics that rate unemployment among returning veterans as high as 20 percent, Sharpe added that one out of every four veterans who manage to land a job earn less than $25,000 a year.

"Ironically, for too many years, the very men and women who served in uniform, stood ready to fight, and - if necessary - die in order to protect and preserve the free enterprise system, are summarily ignored by the federal agencies responsible for meeting their small business needs," Sharpe said.

CVE did get recognition from the Legion for its VIP database. According to Sharpe, it is the federal government's only database that focuses on veteran-owned small businesses. He said "CVE has successfully promoted this database commercially...and has established a strong foundation and infrastructure that can easily be interwoven into other federal databases, such as the Central Contractors Registry.

While The American Legion supports CVE's goal to provide useful information to veterans who want to start or improve their small businesses, Sharpe said the center could be substantially improved, and that CVE "does not necessarily provide the right assistance to veterans.

"With regard to CVE's technical assistance capabilities, this effort represents a negligible impact locally and virtually no impact nationally," Sharpe told the subcommittee. "CVE maintains one small assistance center in Washington, D.C., where they see a small amount of clients and field phone calls.

"Government employees fielding phone calls about business is not an ideal way of conducting training and market research for veterans and their small businesses," Sharpe said. "VA and the Small Business Administration should develop a comprehensive partnership to assist veterans who are interested in participating in federal procurement."

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MOAA Celebrates Military Spouse Residency Relief Act Victory on Capitol Hill

/PRNewswire/ -- Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) President VADM Norb Ryan Jr., USN (Ret.), joined Sen. Richard M. Burr (R-NC) and Rep. John R. Carter (R-TX), military spouses and congressional staff at a MOAA-sponsored Capitol Hill reception to celebrate enactment of the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act and recognize those who played leadership roles in getting the initiative signed into law.

The new law, signed by President Obama on Veterans Day 2009, will reduce voting and state tax challenges military spouses have faced with every military-ordered move. They will now have the option to elect the same state of domicile as their active duty spouse, without having to change state residency with every relocation.

"This great victory was crucial to ensure the states to recognize that military spouses are serving our country, too," Ryan said. "Rebecca Noah Poynter and Joanna Williamson are two military spouses who had a great idea, and exercised authentic leadership in convincing Congressional leaders of its importance. MOAA is proud to have been a lead blocker and tackler in helping these stars cross the goal line."

"Military spouses are our real unsung heroes, and anything we can do for them is a reward to the country," said Rep. Carter, who championed the bill in the House of Representatives. "It's a common-sense bill, and we found a lot of common-sense cosponsors in Congress to help us support it."

"There's no question that military spouses make many sacrifices in support of our Armed Forces," said Burr. "That's why I introduced the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act in the Senate, and [why I was so proud to see] it signed into law on Veterans Day."

"MOAA identified this as one of our key initiatives for military families. It's a great example of military spouses speaking out and getting things changed," said Joy Dunlap, MOAA's Deputy Director of Government Relations. "This is just one of a long list of initiatives that we hope to get accomplished to help military spouses and their families - and with spouses speaking out, more improvements can be made."

Acknowledging MOAA's strong support in this gratifying victory for military spouses, Poynter called Ryan up before the gathering, saying, "I recently received my MOAA membership renewal notice and I'm giving you my renewal check right now!"

MOAA is the nation's largest association of active duty, National Guard, Reserve, retired, and former military officers and their families and survivors, and the fourth-largest veterans' association, with more than 370,000 members. The association promotes a strong national defense by advocating equitable treatment of those who serve and have served their country in uniform.

MOAA Selected Legislative Goals for 2010
MOAA Celebrates Military Spouse Residency Relief Act 12/10/09
S. 475 - Military Spouses Residency Relief Act 11/11/09
MOAA Applauds Hill Action for Military Spouses 11/02/09

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New Air Force Plan Targets Energy

National energy independence took another leap forward with today's rollout of the Air Force Energy Plan. The plan serves as the framework for communicating Air Force energy goals and further expands a culture shift "where Airmen make energy a consideration in everything we do."

"The case for action to reduce our energy consumption and diversify our energy sources is more compelling than ever," states the plan. "Military forces will always be dependent on energy, but we must dramatically reduce the risk to national security associated with our current energy posture."

The Air Force is the largest user of energy in the federal government. The Air Force Energy Plan supports Air Force priorities and provides links to energy goals established by the federal government. It involves energy-focused considerations from initial design and acquisition through effective use of Air Force resources.

"Integrating energy considerations into Air Force operations is not new," said Ms. Debra Walker, currently performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Logistics and Environment. "While we have recently developed overarching policy guidance, the Air Force Energy Plan provides us with a foundational, comprehensive plan from which to execute programs."

The plan is written in "...plain English. It explains installation energy requirements, goals and targets," said Ms. Walker. "But these requirements, goals and targets are part of a larger plan that includes acquisition and technology, changing the culture and how we train and indoctrinate people about considering energy in their duties and other matters. It also strongly considers aviation operations."

Colonel Suzanne Johnson, Chief of Policy and Planning, worked on the plan for more than two years. The final product is laid out in four sections: The core document, which gives an overview, and three appendices: Aviation Operations, Infrastructure, and Acquisition.

The desired effect will be achieved through a three-part strategy, which can be applied to any functional area: (1) reduce demand, (2) increase supply--through a variety of alternative and renewable types of energy, and (3) change the culture.

"We are proud of the energy initiatives already implemented by the Air Force," Ms. Walker said. "But this gets an actual, institutionalized, long-range energy plan into 2035. Otherwise, we have no unity of purpose, no unity of effort."

The Air Force Energy Plan was signed by Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Donley.

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New Research Examines Military Children’s Experience When Their Parents Deploy

(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the largest study to date looking at the emotional well-being of military children, there is now scientific confirmation to many anecdotal reports of the impact of a parent’s deployment on the well-being of a child. The results, published today in the journal Pediatrics, are the first findings of a large-scale, cross-Service and cross-component research study on military children.

The National Military Family Association commissioned the RAND Corporation to follow military children for 12 months, summer 2008 through summer 2009, surveying them and their parent or caregiver on three occasions to answer two key questions: how are school-age military children faring and what types of issues do military children face related to deployment? The baseline findings released today set the stage for results from the follow-up surveys to be reported in subsequent studies.

Study results are consistent across Service branches:

* As the months of parental deployment increased so did the child’s challenges. The total number of months away mattered more than the number of deployments.
* Older children experienced more difficulties during deployment.
* There is a direct correlation between the mental health of the caregiver and the well-being of the child.
* Girls experienced more difficulty during reintegration, the period of months readjusting after the service member’s homecoming.
* About one-third of the children reported symptoms of anxiety, which is somewhat higher than the percentage reported in other studies of children.

“These findings back up what we have been hearing from parents about the impacts of parental deployments on children,” said National Military Family Association Executive Director Joyce Raezer. “While military families are determined to stay strong and healthy, our Nation has been at war for nearly eight years now. We owe it to military families to better understand and address the challenges they are facing now, and may be facing later. Commissioning this research is the first step in doing that.”

Families with a child between the ages of 11 and 17 who applied to the National Military Family Association’s 2008 Operation Purple® Summer Camp program were invited to participate in the survey. Among the 1,507 parent and child sets surveyed (3,014 total participants), 57 percent of the children were from Army families, 20 percent had a parent in the Air Force, 17 percent were Navy families, and the remainder had parents in the Marine Corps or Coast Guard. About 63 percent of the parents were in the active component, with the rest in the National Guard or Reserve.

The study found no significant differences among children based on the Service branch of the parent or whether they were a part of the active or reserve component of the military. Ninety-five percent of children had experienced at least one parental deployment in the three years prior to the study, and nearly 40 percent were going through a deployment at the time of the interview. The study’s participation rate was 97% indicating the importance families place on the need for this research.

What does this mean for military families? This study presents clear evidence that many families are still experiencing stress. There are many good programs from both military and private organizations that support military children and military families; however, quality and outreach are inconsistent, some programs are redundant, and needs remain to be filled. Current programs were created with the best information available at the time. Now that new research-based information is available, the National Military Family Association is calling on all organizations — including the Department of Defense — to use these findings to assess their current offerings.

The Association wants to see best practices replicated and greater targeted support when and where most needed. Because the total months of separation matters to children’s well-being, support programs must continue to be available for families facing their second, third, and fourth deployments. These families need support programs and their community as much as, or more than, those saying goodbye for the first time.

What is next? The National Military Family Association is gathering key nonprofit, military, corporate, education, community, faith-based, and research leaders to form an expert task force and lead a national conversation on the needs of military children and families. In May 2010, the task force will present a plan to address both the immediate and long-term research implications. The task force working groups will focus on the following goals: building resiliency in youth, addressing the needs of girls, engaging communities to support military families, investing in military spouses, and improving the mental health of caregivers and kids.

“Our 40 years of service have made us a trusted resource for families and the Nation’s leaders and we are uniquely qualified to lead the search for solutions, focused on building on best practices and creating partnerships,” Raezer added.

Families and caring adults in military kids’ lives can visit, www.MilitaryFamily.org, for a list of ways to support military families or download the “10 Things Military Teens Want You to Know” toolkit. Also, a link to a downloadable copy of the complete Pediatrics article about the study can be found at www.MilitaryFamily.org/study.

The research project was made possible through grants to the National Military Family Association from the Robertson Foundation, the Sierra Club and Sierra Club Foundation.

The study was jointly conducted by RAND Health, a division of the nonprofit RAND Corporation, and the RAND National Security Research Division.

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1st Annual PTC Veterans Memorial Event

Photo: Representatives from VFW Post 9949, American Legion Posts 105 and 50 and the Thomason Marine Corps League Detachment salute as the wreath is presented and taps is played.

The first patriotic event to be held at the new Falcon Field Veterans Memorial was a fitting christening of a memorial that will surely be the site of many more.

Under a clear blue sky and mild temperature, the event kicked off with an unexpected but welcomed fly over of a Marine Corps Huey helicopter that happened to be leaving for another Veterans Day event near Griffin.

“The Marine Corps pilot approached me and asked if I minded having a bit of a fly over, since he was planning to take off about the time we started,” said Randy Gaddo, the event coordinator, himself a retired Marine. “I couldn’t pass that up.” So the pilot lifted off shortly after 10 a.m. and made two low passes over the crowd of 300 or so approving spectators.

The event, MC’d by Booth Middle School Principal Ted Lombard, a retired Army officer, was interspersed with marching music and included a stirring accapella version of the National Anthem by 14-year old Atlanta recording artist Lindee Link, who lives in Peachtree City. She also sang her rendition of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

Guest Speaker Retired Army Colonel Ben Malcom captivated the crowd with his accounts of top secret, behind-the-lines duties in the Korean War. His riveting reiteration of the now-declassified guerilla operations are detailed in his book, “White Tigers – My Secret War in North Korea.”

A commemorative wreath was presented by the four local veterans groups who helped sponsor the event: VFW Post 9949, American Legion Posts 105 and 50 and the Clyde Thomason Detachment of the Marine Corps League. Members from these groups also help set up and break down the site, provided traffic control and obtained food and refreshments.

Donuts, coffee, juice and other refreshments were provided by local sponsors to include the Peachtree City Walmart and Target stores, the Publix stores in Tyrone and in Peachtree City, the Peachtree City Kroger store in Braelinn Shopping Center, the Peachtree City Cheers Beverage store, Line Creek Beverage and Starbucks both at the Avenue and PTC East.

Cadets from the Falcon Field Civil Air Patrol Composite Squadron-116 smartly presented the American flag to begin the event and retired the colors to close it. Scouts from Troop 75 led the Pledge of Allegiance.

“The turnout was good for being the first year we’ve had the event at the new memorial,” said Gaddo. “I believe we can build on this year’s success and make next year even better.”
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Wounded Warrior Project Urges the Senate to Support Crucial Family Caregiver Legislation

/PRNewswire/ -- As Veterans Day approaches, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors, is urging Congress to pass crucial legislation that will assist the family caregivers of the most severely injured veterans.

The Family Caregiver Legislation that WWP has been strongly advocating for has been merged into a larger Veterans Health Care Bill. This larger bill is now referred to as Senate Bill 1963 (S.1963), the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009.

"We must swiftly move past the notion that the Department of Veterans Affairs assists veterans but not their families," said Wounded Warrior Project Executive Director Steven Nardizzi. "Family caregivers of the most severely injured veterans continue to suffer emotionally and financially while caring for their loved ones. We're stretching these families to the breaking point and, without immediate assistance from VA, many of our brave, young warriors will be doomed to a lifetime in a nursing home. Every day that passes without a comprehensive family caregiver program for veterans is a day too long."

Over 34,000 members of our nation's armed forces have been wounded. Many of the physical wounds have healed but for some the journey does not end there. Typically, with catastrophic injuries, a parent or spouse is forced to leave the workforce to care for their loved one. In some instances, the veteran requires help with such basic needs as washing and showering, feeding, dressing, administering medications, and getting to physician and therapy appointments. Some who have suffered traumatic brain injury, often complicated by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, need near-constant supervision to ensure their safety. Further, these family caregivers need their own support like health coverage and mental health counseling to sustain their important efforts.

Wounded Warrior Project urges every concerned American to call and email their Senators asking that they support S. 1963. For more information and to take action, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org/S1963.

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Clayton State Veterans Day Events… Nov. 11, Nov. 12

Clayton State University will be celebrating Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov.11 and Thursday, Nov.12 with several events and displays.

The University's tribute to veterans will begin on Nov. 11 with an outdoor ceremony in the Lawson Amphitheater, adjacent ot Swan Lake on the Clayton State campus. The ceremony will run from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and will include a “Posting of Colors” by the Clayton State ROTC program, which will provide the Color Guard and music for the ceremony. Clayton State Assistant Professor of Marketing Dr. David Furman, a veteran, will provide the keynote address.
Also on Nov. 11, a veterans reception/mixer will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the James M. Baker Center. The public is invited, including all local VFW groups, who will be honored guests. The Clayton State ROTC program and the Clayton State Student Veterans Association (SVA) will have information tables set up on Main Street outside of the reception/mixer.

At the same time, and running until 6 p.m., on Main Street in the Baker Center, an Appreciation Banner will be available for everyone to write messages of gratitude for veterans both on and off campus. The Appreciation Banner will be on three tables set up on Main Street. The Appreciation Banner will be available through Thursday, Nov. 12. There will also be war memorabilia displays on Main Street, contributed by faculty and VFW members.

At 6 p.m. in the ballroom of the Student Activity Center, students, faculty, staff and the public are invited to come out and learn to swing dance.

The displays, including the Appreciation Banner and the ROTC and SVA displays, will continue on Main Street through 2 p.m. on Nov. 12. AT the conclusion of the displays, the Appreciation Banner will be rolled up and delivered to the VA Hospital/Hospice. In addition, the SVA will hold a prize drawing for a dozen give-a-ways at 2 p.m.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
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Secretary of the Army Says Military Ready to Lift Gay Ban

/PRNewswire/ -- The Secretary of the Army, John McHugh, indicated this weekend that the Army is prepared to lift the ban on openly gay service if the Commander-in-Chief and the Congress decide to end the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, a prospect that has gathered steam in recent weeks. McHugh, formerly a Republican congressman from the conservative 23rd district of New York, is the highest official inside the Pentagon to express such support. He told the Army Times on Sunday that there was no reason to fear that major difficulties would result from lifting the ban, and that he would help implement the policy change when the time comes. "The Army has a big history of taking on similar issues," he said, with "predictions of doom and gloom that did not play out." He also suggested that repeal may come in phases, with early action involving, for example, allowing open gays to serve in some occupations and not others.

"What we're seeing is a tipping point in the opinions of both military and civilian leaders on this issue," said Dr. Nathaniel Frank, senior research fellow at the Palm Center. "The Army is the largest of the services and the most heavily involved in our wars abroad, and for Secretary McHugh to state clearly that it can handle repeal sends a strong signal to the other service secretaries that they can do the same."

Dr. Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, said Secretary McHugh's comments were enormously significant. But he pointed out that there is no research to support the idea of letting gay soldiers serve in some units but not others. "The rationale for the ban applies equally across all job categories," he said. "So if it's okay to be an openly gay Arabic interpreter, it's also okay to be openly gay in the infantry or on a submarine. Since conduct rules apply across the board, there's just no basis for applying different standards to different specialties."

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Collaboration Drives Afghan Strategy Review, Gates Says

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised a close collaboration between the military and the White House in examining the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan yesterday, dismissing news reports of a rift.

"These stories may make good reading, but they are not a reflection of reality," Gates said here in response to a question during a joint news conference with Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa.

Gates cited a "very close, collaborative effort" between military officers, including commanders in the field, and civilian government leaders who meet on an almost daily basis as part of President Barack Obama's strategic review.

The national security team is working closely together to work through what Gates called "this very complicated situation in Afghanistan." He cited "complicated issues" associated with the Afghan presidential elections, but also the challenges Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. commander there, identified in his assessment.

Gates called the runoff election slated for Nov. 7 an important step toward moving forward in Afghanistan. "Getting that behind us and moving forward is very important," he said.

But while the run-off election will resolve outstanding issues regarding the presidency, Gates emphasized, the larger issue of establishing legitimacy of the Afghan government is a longer-term proposition.

"This is going to be a work in progress, an evolutionary effort, and we need to be realistic about that," he said.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
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VA Staffs Office for Survivors of Vets, Service Members

/PRNewswire/ -- To strengthen the programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the survivors of the nation's Veterans and military personnel, the Department has staffed an office to serve as their advocate, with a charter that includes creating or modifying programs, benefits and services.

"Taking care of survivors is as essential as taking care of our Veterans and military personnel," Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said. "By taking care of survivors, we are honoring a commitment made to our Veterans and military members."

The office serves as the primary advisor to the secretary on all issues affecting the survivors and dependents of deceased Veterans and service members. It will monitor VA's delivery of benefits to survivors, make appropriate referrals to VA offices for survivors seeking benefits and explore innovative ways of reaching survivors who are not receiving the VA benefits for which they are eligible.

VA benefits for eligible survivors include educational assistance, home loan guaranties, health care insurance and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, a monthly payment to the survivors of some people who die on active duty and some seriously disabled Veterans.

More than 554,000 spouses, dependents and other survivors of Veterans are receiving VA benefits. That figure includes nearly 5,000 spouses of World War I Veterans, 90 spouses and 94 children of Spanish-American War Veterans, and two children of Civil War Veterans. The establishment of this office was authorized in the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008.

Army Bids Farewell to Maj. Gen. Yingling of Peachtree City

The Army bid an official farewell today to Maj. Gen. John A. Yingling in recognition of his 35 years of dedicated service.

His retirement ceremony was held here at the headquarters of the Army’s largest command, Army Forces Command, where he had been the deputy chief of staff G3/5/7 (equivalent to a large civilian corporation senior vice president for operations) since December 2007.

He and his wife, the former Ann Bradford of Wamego, Kan., plan to remain in Peachtree City.
A native of Alexandria, Va., Maj. Gen. Yingling began his Army career in 1974 when he was commissioned a second lieutenant of field artillery upon his graduation from the Reserve Officers Training Corps at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Over the years he served in a variety of staff, field, joint and command assignments around the United States and in Germany and Korea.

His field and command assignments included deputy commanding general of First Army; assistant division commander (support) for the 2nd Infantry Division; commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) Artillery; commander of the 7th Battalion, 8th Field Artillery (Red Dragons), 25th Division; commander of C Battery, 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division; commander of A Battery, 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery,1st Division; and firing platoon commander of the 3rd Battalion, 81st Field Artillery.

Yingling served as an operations officer with units within the 3rd and 9th Infantry Divisions. His staff assignments included chief of staff of the U.S. Army Reserve Command; director of fire support and combined army operations and chief of staff at Fort Sill, Okla.; I Corps officer personnel manager; Personnel Command's field artillery assignments officer, and aide-de-camp to the 1st Infantry Division's commanding general.

His joint assignments included duty as a staff officer in the Pentagon's National Military Command Systems and as commanding general of Joint Task Force Six, which provides Department of Defense counterdrug support to federal, regional, state and local law enforcement agencies.

The general's military education included the Field Artillery basic and advanced courses, Command and General Staff College, Armed Forces Staff College, and U.S. Army War College.
Yingling's awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Joint Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Air Assault and Joint Staff Badges.

Photo top: Gen. Charles C. Campbell (left), commander of Army Forces Command, presents Maj. Gen. John A. Yingling with an American flag as part of Yingling's retirement ceremony Sept. 18. In his speech during the ceremony, Campbell thanked Yingling for his 35 years of service and told him that he left the Army “respected, admired, and valued as a comrade who always shouldered more that his fair share of the load.” (U.S. Army photo by Jessica Maxwell, FORSCOM Public Affairs)

Photo middle: Standing before the Army Forces Command color guard during his Sept. 18 retirement ceremony, Maj. Gen. John A. Yingling acknowledges college friends in attendance as the Army Ground Forces Band plays the Wake Forest University fight song. (U.S. Army photo by Jessica Maxwell, FORSCOM Public Affairs)

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TRICARE Standard Pays to be Preventive

Obtaining clinical preventive services helps prevent illness before major health problems occur. Section 711 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2009 encourages eligible TRICARE Standard beneficiaries to use preventive health services by waiving all cost shares for certain types of these services starting Sept. 1. These services include screenings for colorectal cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer; immunizations; and well-child visits for children under 6 years of age.

Also, for all beneficiaries over age 6, when a visit to a health care provider includes one or more of the benefits listed above, the cost share for the visit is waived. However, other services provided during the same visit are subject to cost shares and deductibles.

“Early disease detection and chronic condition management programs result in the prevention of long term health conditions and add savings for beneficiaries and the government in the long term,” said Navy Rear Adm. Christine S. Hunter, deputy director of the TRICARE Management Activity. “It’s a great new benefit under TRICARE Standard.”

The cost share waiver applies to non-Medicare eligible, TRICARE Standard or Extra beneficiaries; even if the beneficiary hasn’t met the annual deductible. Beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE Prime are unaffected, since they do not have copayments for preventive services.

Medicare-eligible beneficiaries are covered by TRICARE For Life (TFL), which generally pays the remainder of any costs not paid under Medicare, including amounts for the listed preventive services. However, preventive services and all immunizations not covered by Medicare require TRICARE Standard cost shares and deductibles for TFL beneficiaries.

Criteria such as age, frequency of care and family history have to be met in order to waive cost shares for the six clinical preventive services. All other preventive services not included in the services listed in Section 711 are subject to cost shares and deductibles. This benefit can be applied to any services received on or after Oct. 14, 2008. Beneficiaries can request reimbursement for services received after Oct. 14, 2008, and before the implementation date of Sept. 1, 2009.

Reimbursement requests can be made by phone or in writing to the region where the beneficiary lives.
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Help and prayers needed for local soldier and family

Fayette County, Georgia: Daniel Berschinski, First Lieutenant and Platoon Leader in the First Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment Fifth Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in the U.S. Army, was seriously wounded August 17, 2009, while serving our country in Afghanistan. Lt. Berschinski is currently recuperating from numerous injuries at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington , D.C.

Daniel graduated from McIntosh High School in 2002 and from West Point in 2007. He is an Eagle Scout from Peachtree City 's Troop 175. The Berschinski family has lived in Peachtree City for 17 years. Rob, his older brother, is a civilian working in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C. His parents, Bob and Susan, are local business owners. Many of you may remember Susan as a Booth Middle School teacher.

Please join us in showing the Berschinski family how much we appreciate their being a vital part of this community and that we are here to love and support them today and in the future.

Gifts can be in the form of cash, check or charge. Please address all gifts to the Benefit of Daniel M. Berschinski. You can directly deposit your gifts at any Bank of Upson, Meriweather Bank and Trust or at SouthCrest Bank in Tyrone at -on Highway 74 across from the South Hampton Publix shopping center. If you would like to mail your gift, please mail it to: 105 St. Stephens Court, Suite A, Tyrone, GA 30290.

Any funds not utilized by the Berschinski Family will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

- rec'd via the Southern Crescent Tea Party Patriots (www.ptcteapartypatriots.org)

Note: On a personal note, I've known Bob and Susan for many, many years. They have given much to the community and to many individuals. My heart goes out to them as they hurt with their child and work to do everything they can to help him heal. I encourage everyone reading this to reach out to help in some manner based on your familiarity with the Berschinski family, your belief in helping a neighbor, or your concern for our soldiers. - Janet McGregor Dunn

World War II Veterans Ready to Fly

September 19th will be like Christmas morning for approximately 70 veterans of the “Greatest Generation” as they gather at the First United Methodist Church in Fayetteville for breakfast and to board buses for Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. They are also provided with lanyards and Honor Flight Fayette t-shirts to wear during the day, which is totally free of cost to them. This is just the first step in a day long journey dedicated as a “thank you” gesture to them for their valiant service during World War II.

As the buses get under way, they will be escorted by Patriot Guard members as well as law enforcement officers from Fayetteville, Fayette County and Peachtree City. The public is encouraged to line the streets by 6:30 a.m. that Saturday morning with flags and banners to give the veterans a spirited sendoff.

After a short flight to D.C., they will land at Ronald Reagan Airport where they are greeted by military personnel from different branches of the service who have requested the day off specifically to be with and assist guardians with the veterans. The veterans will then board motor coaches for their comfort during the day. Although the World War II Memorial is the main feature, they will ride by the memorials for Iwo Jima, the Korean War, Viet Nam and Arlington National Cemetery. Time permitting, stops will be made at these locations also.

The veterans’ visit to “their” memorial is always one of mixed emotions, and very often tears can be seen in their eyes as well as those of the guardians who are there to help them through the day. Sometimes they share stories as they walk around the memorial, and sometimes they just reflect in silence because memories are too poignant or too painful.

After they return from these trips to D.C., veterans have often said that it was the most wonderful day of their lives, second only to marriage or the birth of children. However, the guardians who accompany them, and pay their way to do so, will tell you it was one of the most special days of their lives also.

Honor Flight Fayette is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which is staffed totally by dedicated volunteers whose only purpose is to honor and say “thank you” to the brave veterans of World War II. If you would like to learn more about Honor Flight Fayette, become a volunteer or make a donation, please check honorflightfayette.org or P. O. Box 1209, Fayetteville, GA, 30214.

Photo: Brenda Smith, Publicity Chair for Honor Flight Fayette, stands beside the banner which is a reminder of the upcoming flight on September 19th!

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Isakson, Chambliss, Gingrey: Dobbins Clears Final Hurdle for Military Commissary

Facility Would Serve Thousands of Military Personnel, Veterans in Metro Atlanta

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., today announced that Dobbins Air Reserve Base has received approval from the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to build a military commissary on the base.

Isakson, Chambliss and Gingrey have been working for more than a year to try to ensure a seamless transition between the closure of existing commissaries serving metro Atlanta and construction of the new commissary.

“This is fantastic news for Dobbins as well as for the thousands of military personnel and veterans in the metro Atlanta area,” said Isakson, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “I’m extremely pleased the Department of Defense has given final approval of the commissary at Dobbins and I will now work with my colleagues to ensure Dobbins receives the necessary funding for the commissary.”

“This approval is welcome news for the thousands of military personnel, their families, and veterans in the metro Atlanta area and it has been a long time coming. This was the final step in a five step process of getting the application for the commissary approved. I applaud the Department of Defense for recognizing that those men and women who have served our country so honorably should not be left without convenient access to these critical facilities. I look forward to continuing to work to make this become a reality,” said Gingrey.

"This new commissary will provide a much-needed service for our military men and women in the Atlanta area,” said Chambliss, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure Dobbins receives the funding to move forward with this project."

On March 31, the Commissary Operating Board of the Defense Commissary Agency agreed to recommend approval of a commissary at Dobbins Air Reserve Base to the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, who ultimately made the final decision on the facility.

Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson in Atlanta, as well as the Naval Supply School in Athens, are scheduled to close in 2011. At that time, Fort Benning, which is located two hours southwest of Atlanta, will be the closest commissary serving the metro Atlanta military population.

Isakson, Chambliss and Gingrey believe it is critical to maintain a convenient commissary for the metro Atlanta military community, and Dobbins Air Reserve Base meets all the requirements outlined by the Department of Defense to build and maintain a commissary.
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GAEC Director Foster to Supervise MMA Event for U.S. Troops in Iraq

Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission Director Andrew Foster has been selected to serve as Official Event Supervisor for a mixed-martial arts event in Iraq. The event is sponsored by Armed Forces Entertainment, and the tour will be hosted by the Army Brigade Command and Central Command. This is the first MMA event held for members of the Armed Services in Iraq.

“I am honored to participate in this event and pleased to provide this form of popular entertainment to the men and women who serve our country,” Foster said. “I am grateful to offer my expertise to help ensure a safe environment for the fighters and our dedicated troops.”

“Andy has a respected reputation as the director of the GAEC and through his experience as an MMA fighter,” Georgia Secretary of State Handel said. “He will serve as an excellent ambassador for Georgia and the GAEC.”

Foster will travel with a group of promoters and representatives from the International Combat Sports Federation, and judges and referees to Iraq in September. The group will visit several different Iraqi bases, and hold a main event match in Mosul. In addition, troops stationed at the base will meet the fighters, have the opportunity to work out with them, and attend MMA seminars.

The promoter of the project is DD Productions, LLC, which is owned by Marine Corps spouse Monica Sanford. Most of the amateur and pro fighters participating are active duty military stationed in Iraq or the United States.

Andrew Foster started his jiu jitsu training in 1996 and his mixed martial arts training in 1998. Foster won both the Middleweight and the Light Heavyweight ISCF Mixed Martial Arts East Coast Championship Belts in 2004, after which he turned professional. Foster holds a 7-0 record in amateur MMA and a 9-2 professional record. In July 2007, Foster was named Head Referee of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission and was appointed to Executive Director in May 2008.

Armed Forces Entertainment is the lead Department of Defense agency for providing entertainment to U.S. military personnel serving overseas, with priority given to those in contingency operations and at remote and isolated locations. The Department of the Air Force is the executive agent of Armed Forces Entertainment. Founded in 1951, Armed Forces Entertainment brings a touch of home to more than 500,000 troops annually, embracing the best of Americana that stretches across all genres of entertainment. Visit www.armedforcesentertainment.com for more information.

Karen Handel was sworn in as Secretary of State in January 2007. The Secretary of State's office offers important services to our citizens and our business community. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.
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Shock Waves May Damage Soldiers' Brains

Finding may help develop better combat helmets

When today's soldiers enter combat, they're better protected from explosions than the military personnel of any previous war. Ultra-strong helmets shield them from the flying shrapnel of homemade bombs; high-tech cushioning cradles their skulls during sudden impacts with the ground. But because modern soldiers are surviving explosions that would have taken the lives of Vietnam-era infantrymen, army hospitals are seeing a rise in a particularly painful war wound—traumatic brain injury (TBI).

TBI can range from a simple concussion to damage with long-term effects, including impaired cognitive abilities and even anxiety and depression. New research is helping to explain how those injuries come about, potentially pointing the way to helmet designs to reduce brain damage. Using code originally designed to simulate how a detonated weapon rattles a building or tank, physicists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and the University of Rochester in New York modeled an all-too-real situation: a 5-pound bomb exploding 15 feet from a soldier's head. Their goal was to understand the effects of the high-speed shock wave that follows an explosion.

Some doctors have suggested that the wave reaches the brain through the eyes or ears; others say it causes compression of the chest and a subsequent surge of blood to the brain. The new research, soon to appear in the journal Physical Review Letters, shows that the shock wave doesn't accelerate the head enough to damage the brain. Instead, it seems to affect the skull directly.

"Your skull is not exactly rigid, so the pressure actually deforms the skull as the blast wave moves across," said Eric Blackman, who is one of the authors of the study. "That flexure drives a stress wave that propagates into the brain. It's something like an inverse earthquake."

The waves flex the skull by only about the width of a human hair. But according to coauthor William Moss, "that's enough to generate pressures in the brain comparable to [an] impact." The reason is that the brain contains a lot of water. "Push on it a little bit and you get a lot of pressure," said coauthor Michael King. Because the blast wave sweeps across the skull in just a fraction of a second, "you don't have time for the pressure to dissipate, so you get a localized region of very high pressure."

David Moore, a vascular neurologist and the deputy director of research at the Defense Veterans Brain Injury Center, headquartered in Washington, D.C., said that the skull flexure mechanism proposed by the physicists is just one hypothesis among several competing concepts of blast waves and injury. “Like all these hypotheses there’s yet work to be done in terms of validation,” he said. “There are too many unknown variables from the constitutive properties of brain and skull at high strain rates along with other associated blast phenomena.”

The team considered the performance of Kevlar helmets with two kinds of cushioning systems: a nylon web system that was retired in 2003, and the foam pads of the Advanced Combat Helmet, which is standard-issue for today's soldiers. The results were unsettling.

To protect soldiers from bullets and shrapnel, modern helmet design maintains a 1.3-cm gap between helmet and head; in the simulation, the blast wave washed into the helmet through this gap. "The helmet acts as a windscoop, so the pressure between the skull and helmet is larger than the blast wave by itself," King said. While the ACH's pads mostly prevented this underwash, they also passed on forces to the skull.

King suggested that the pads' stiffness could be optimized to "take the best of both worlds; it doesn't allow the blast in there, and it doesn't transfer [forces] from the helmet to the head." He stressed that when making changes to the helmet, preserving its ability to reduce impacts and fend off bullets was paramount. "You'd have to be careful to make sure it doesn't interfere with what the helmet does very well, which is stopping fragments and bullets," he said. "The whole idea why there was a big gap between skull and helmet in the first place, is it makes it more likely for the soldier to survive if a bullet hits the helmet."

The researchers stopped short of claiming the high-pressure regions caused by blast waves would then cause TBI. But their findings seem to clear some of the fog surrounding closed head injuries, said Brent Masel, a neurologist and the president and medical director of the Transitional Learning Center, a post acute brain injury treatment program in Galveston, TX.

"We classify brain injuries as mild, moderate, or severe based on the amount of trauma they have at that time… but the severity of injury and eventual outcome may very often be different," Masel said." Assuming their model is correct, this answers one of the questions that keeps getting raised—how do these men and women who have a minor blast injury have symptoms? It may be that the blast injury isn't so minor."

By Lauren Schenkman
Inside Science News Service
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